Countdown before federal government falls off "Fiscal Cliff"

By: Kyle Quick

·

Sun, 12/30/2012 - 12:41am

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Fiscal Cliff News BriefMissouri News Horizon

--With hours until the United States hits the “fiscal cliff,” all eyes are on the U.S. Senate, and Saturday, Sen. Roy Blunt carried the message of Republicans urging Democrats to take up a proposal like House Republicans have proposed.

“The Republican-controlled House has taken a step in the right direction,” Blunt said. “Instead of working across the aisle and considering the House-passed plan to protect taxpayers, Senate Democrats have spent months drawing partisan lines in the sand.”

Blunt was critical of plans proposed by Democrats that would raise tax rates on the top two percent of Americans.

Blunt said “inaction shouldn’t be an option,” a sentiment echoed in President Obama’s own address on Saturday.

“We just can’t afford a politically self-inflicted wound to our economy,” he said. “Leaders in Congress are working on a way to prevent this tax hike on the middle class, and I believe we may be able to reach an agreement that can pass both houses in time.”